Torn away
by Lupus of ooo
Summary: Imagine your biggest nightmare coming true. for Oak Lockwood he doesn't need to imagine because when you are ripped away from your family to be thrown into a televised battle to the death all you can do is fight through it all and hope you survive.
1. Nightmares

The constant fear of being reaped and thrown into the games ran through my head. I imagine the possibility of being reaped. I even hear the words of our escort in my mind, "Ladies and gentlemen, the male tribute for District seven, Oak Lockwood." The thought of being ripped away from my loved ones while they watch me be killed or, in a less likely case, kill others; scares me to death. I know the stakes as year after year I watch member of our district be dismembered. I might be able to kill but until the time comes I won't know. Today is the reaping day of the One hundred and twenty fourth Hunger Games. The odds are not in my favor this year for my name is in the reaping bowl forty times.

Before I get dressed I decide to go into the kitchen to get some breakfast. After what little food I was able to stomach, I return to my room to find one of my father's old suits on my bed that my mom had put out for me. It's a simple beige and brown tux with brown shoes. I'm only sixteen and I already fit into my fathers' clothes, one of the advantages of being a lumberjack. A moment after dressing my mom walks in. She takes one look at me and starts to tear up. As I do often enough I comforted her for today there is a chance my mom will lose me and I am all she has left. My dad died when I was six years old when an old tree collapsed and fell right on top of him.

We walk out the house and walk together to the front of the justice building which is where the reaping is held. As I walk out of the house I see her, as beautiful as an angel, my girlfriend Julie. She's wearing a white dress with soft pink shoes and a matching necklace. My mom, Julie and I start walking to the Justice Building. As we arrive at the Justice Building Julie starts crying. Although I know how she'll respond, I ask her anyway, "Why the long face Julie?" Her response is one of the many thoughts running through my mind "What if we get reaped? What if I go in? Or you? Or both? I'm scared of losing you!" Which at that point makes it the second time I comfort someone I love in the past hour?

I remind to think positively and promise to take her out for ice-cream after the reaping. We go to register but before I leave and give mom and Julie a hug and kiss and tell remind I love them. Remind like it's already over, I should rather practice what I preach. The boys' area is on the right and the girls' area is on the left. I look to the right and see Julie, I blow her a kiss and wink which causes her to chuckle a little.

As usual Peach Patterson walks up with her lime green hair and orange skin and shouts the Hunger Games greeting at the top of her lungs, "Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favor." Each time she opens her mouth I feel like my eardrums are about to leave my body in search of quieter areas. Her voice is so high pitched it's beyond natural. Soon after she finishes wishing us a Happy Hunger Games we watch a video of the dark days, which we are forced to watch every single year. After watching the video the real business begins, the Reaping.

Peach walks up to the glass bowl on the right and says, "Ladies first." before pulling out a piece of paper. She opens it up and reads the name; Willow Windchester. She's a thirteen year old who is well known in the district as someone who helps the medics. Next Peach walks over to the bowl on the left, this time saying, "Now for the men." She pulls out a paper, she opens it and reads the name, "Oak Lockwood."

My worst nightmare has now become a reality. I'm going into the games. Forced to kill or be killed. Although this is the worst possible thing which could happen to me I walk onto the stage surprisingly calm, while shaking hands with my fellow tribute everything which occurred within the last few minutes rushes into my head and then we are escorted into the Justice Building one trembling footstep at a time

I sit in the tiny room, where one hundred and twenty three others had sat here awaiting the same fate as I, waiting for those who love me to come and say their goodbyes. First my mother walks in with tears in her eyes. I wipe the tears from her face then she looks me in the eyes and tells me to at least try and win. I promised my mom I would try and win and never give up even when it seems that death is knocking at my door. I don't know how much of this is true but for a woman who lost her husband and afterwards her son encouraging words must be said even if they are lies. I give mom a hug and a peck on the cheek before she goes and I tell her I love her with all of my heart. This time not lying.

The next person to say goodbye to me is Julie. She runs into my arms crying, I try to calm her down but it doesn't help. Once she stopped crying we just stood in the middle of the room hugging and holding onto the time that we have left. Before she goes she gives me the necklace she was wearing and told me to keep it with me at all times. I take the necklace and place it in my jacket pocket while promising her that I will. Right before she leaves I give her a long kiss and tell her I love her a lot and that I will see her soon. Seeing my loved ones for the possible last time made me realize that if anyone else would have come it would have been my father, I spent whatever time I have left uttering a silent prayer to my father hoping that he watches me and helps me.


	2. Reality

Just then two Peacekeepers walk in and escort me to a car that will take Peach, Willow and I to the train station. At the station there are a few people there taking photos of Willow and I, which reminds me how this is for the entertainment of others. Peach pushes us into the train and I settle down in a nice comfortable single couch because I suppose if I'm going to die I may as well attempt to enjoy what little time I have left. The doors of the train close and the train starts moving. Soon we are on our way to the Capitol.

Willow is lying down in the double couch directly in front of me and Peach has gone to fetch our mentor. After a few minutes our mentor walks in and he's exactly what you'd expect a victor would look like. He's strong, tall and healthy. He has black hair and has a perfect tan. I'm surprised to see only one mentor walk in but I remembered that within the past 50 years we have had two other victors who unfortunately died.

He reminds us that his name is Samson Timber although being our only living victor it was unnecessary. He wastes no time in telling us what his job his and how important that he is, you can tell he has said this many times due to the routine sound of his voice.

Willow asked him for all possible tips that will keep us alive and possibly win the games, which surprised me as Willow does not seem like someone who believes she'll win. "The only way to win is to survive. You have to possibilities: kill or hide." Willow looked horrified at Samson's answer, my earlier thought of her being tougher than she looks instantly vanishes. Noticing her reluctance he reminded us that the other tributes aren't our friends and would probably kill us in a heartbeat and if that was not enough the arena is created for, in one way or another, the murder of children.

At that moment Peach walks in saving us from a lengthened lecture on softness. She tells us that there is something for us in the food compartment. I couldn't help but notice a glimmer of a smile on Samson's. Could it be that our hard as rock mentor has a weakness for food, only time will tell.


	3. Awakening

There is a compartment entirely for food; I look to the left the right and even upwards. All I see are tables having only dishes, bowls and fountains of hot foods, cold meats, breads and before I get to try too much lunch is over and we move to the next compartment very similar to the previous cart with the only difference being that the food is now purely desserts. I, being a fan of sugar, release the inner me and eat as much as I can. But the one thing that catches my attention is the peppermint tart, my favorite.

While eating our deserts Peach herds us to the television room to watch the highlights of the reaping. Samson tells me to get a pen and paper to write down the names and districts of our competitors. We all sit and its starts. District one: Amber Blackrock and Onyx Blackrock. Due to their age and similar looks I assume that they are twins. District two Victoria and Justice. Worse than the first two, I have nicknamed them the demented duo. District three: Luna and Zac. District four: Ariel and Cove. District five: Sola and Atom. District six: Suzy and Ford. District:7- Willow and myself, I noticed how my facade actually worked and Samson seemed to notice it as well because during my reaping he gave a little smirk, good. District eight: Prada and Calvin, Calvin does not seem like your average man due to his fashion sense, he seems, well confused. District nine: Sickle and Mortar. District ten: Belle and Donald. District eleven: Kiwa and Sage. And finally district twelve: Canary and Dust.

Samson tells us remember these people and that we should look for someone to partner with because having a partner in the games can determine life or death. I had an idea of who I wanted to team up with but I'm sure Samson would not agree because I had the thoughts of teaming up with district twelve's fourteen year old, Dust.

After watching the reaping Peach tells us that where are almost at the Capitol. I run to the window to see and it's amazing. Tall, beautiful buildings and it seems the water here is shiner and cleaner than the water in District: 7. We enter the Capitol many citizens of the Capitol waving to us and cheering. I was back and it causes a frenzy with the people of the Capitol.

One thing for sure is that people don't exaggerate about the people in the Capitol. They dress really weird with lots of different colour make up, their hair is all weird and in different colours as well as their skin they change it in many ways.

There are people all the to the train station, they just keep screaming and taking photos of us. It is completely crazy. Peach escorts to a huge building which is where our prep team is waiting to fix us up for the tribute parade.

I sit on a cold metal bed waiting for my prep team. Peach tells me their names are Plath and Keats. Finally they come and they waste no time in sorting me out. They wash my hair with some lovely smelling ointment and they scrub my body clean of wood chips and saw dust. Once I cleaned up they start with my hair, they actually styled it really nicely. When my prep team finished cleaning me up they left and then another person walks in and says his name is Leo and that he will be my stylist. He starts by dressing me in a silly tree costume for the tribute parade, which is going to start at half past six in the evening.

**Editor's note: Notice how each name complimented the district? Sorry for the short chapters but I want to focus more on the actual capitol part. Soon I should post chapters with minimum 1000 words.**


	4. Consiousness

Tall, beautiful buildings surround the station and are as far as I can see, but it's strange. The yellows too bright, greens too deep, the red too... red. It's as if they want to drive us mad because all I've ever seen in my life is; green and brown. I don't even see winter leaves because all the trees are evergreens. As we entered the Capitol many of the Capitolites were waving and cheering. I say many and not all because there was barely enough space to fit in all these people and they are barely a fraction of the population.

One thing I noticed is that what I had seen on television about the Capitolites is correct; their sense of fashion is strange. It seems like the current trend is… the jungle? All I can see is a flurry of fur and feathers. They seem like one big animalistic wave with a life of its own!

There are people all the way to the train station, they just keep screaming and taking photos of us. It is complete pandemonium. The people who I see are either pointing or pressing a button, whether to film or photograph i cannot tell because it's all a blur. Once we arrive we struggle and fight to reach our designated vehicle, I almost wish I had an axe to teach these people a thing or two. At last we get to the long car with a white seven on its side and we go in. It's a short drive to the prep tower and once we arrive it's a mad dash to get to our rooms.

Peach escorts us through the huge building which is where our prep team is waiting to fix us up for the tribute parade. I get lost with all the lefts, rights and staircases and I'm aware that at some point Willow is handed over to a woman in a white coat. After that I'm trapped. I'm not scared but I'm very much aware of the fact that if they wanted they could kill me now, but I brush away that ridiculous thought after realizing they need me for their show

Finally we reach my room. I'm told to sit on the cold metal bed while waiting for my prep team. Peach tells me their names are Plath and Keats and that I should greet them with a smile. When they arrive I barely get to finish the first syllable of hello and they are already sorting me out. They wash my hair with some lovely smelling ointment and they scrub my body clean of wood chips and saw dust, this time using a more pungent liquid. They even removed an inch long splinter out the back of my leg. So that's where the irritation came from.

Once I am cleaned up to their liking I am once again left on my own to twiddle my thumbs. Just as I started to think they had forgotten about me another person walks in and introduces himself as Leo. This blue haired half wit will be my stylist. He starts by dressing me in a silly tree costume for the tribute parade, which is going to start at half past six in the evening. Once he finished with the outfit he leads me to my chariot. I hang my head in shame because of this stupid outfit. I look up and see Willow wearing the same thing and she hates it as much as I do. I also noticed that her costume is a willow and that I am an oak, apparently Leo and his partner aren't so dumb after all.

I look at the other tributes outfits and some look really amazing while others look just as bad as ours and some are even worse. My favorite is easily district three because they have some sort of human robot thing going on. Because the parade is about to start, we board the chariot and get focused. Poor district eight got a pile of rags, literally. One type of fabric over another.

Something else about this place creeps me out, the horses. and not because of their machine methods of doing things or their soulless Captol-like eyes. It's simply the fact the it's a beast that is twice my size which can carry me wherever pleases him. Honestly though, I think I have a horse phobia. I stay at my chariot at all times.

The gates open and the horses start walking. I stand straight and I keep looking forward. The people of Capitol are going crazy, they shouting for their favorite tributes. Then I remembered what Samson told us, that we must try to get sponsors. I decide to end the tough look and go for energetic and fun. I wave at everyone and they go crazy, I blow a few kisses to the ladies and I saw one or two try to catch them like it's a real kiss. I just hope they are the ones with bank accounts full of money. Money for me.

The horses finally stop walking and stop in front of a balcony where the president is. He struts slowly to the balcony and gives his "warm welcome" to the tributes of the one hundred and twenty second annual hunger games. The Capitolites go crazy. Honestly how hard can it be to get attention here? A few words and then receive a standing ovation? They seem to have no self pride or anything of the sort! I need to get out of here before I go nuts.

The horses start walking again, back to the boarding station. When we arrive Peach, Samson and all the preppers (as I have christened them) are waiting for us. We then go to the elevator and rise slowly up to the seventh floor to get to what will be for the next week our home.


End file.
